The Clemson Tigers will be the second college football team to make a trip to the White House during the Donald Trump administration. The reigning national champions will be honored at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue on June 12, according to Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney.
“I know we’re going to leave really early (on the 12th) and get back late (at night), so it’ll be a great experience,” Swinney told reporters, according to The Post and Courier. Swinney will be making his second trip to the White House as a national champion, although the last time he did so was as a player on Alabama’s 1992 national championship team.
“I got to do it as a player back in 1992 — the spring of 1993 — so I’m excited for our guys to have an opportunity to get to go,” Swinney said. “I don’t know if all of them can go, some of our (former) seniors have camps and stuff, but it’ll be a fun trip. The Capitol and the White House — you get to do something in a way that very few people get to do.”
Clemson may be the first national championship college football team to visit President Trump, but they will be the second college football team to make the trip. Last week, Trump hosted Air Force’s football team to the White House in celebration and recognition of the Falcons winning the Commander-In-Chief’s Trophy during the 2016 season. The Commander-In-Chief’s Trophy is awarded annually to the service academy that wins the three-way battle between Air Force, Army, and Navy. Air Force won the trophy outright with head-to-head victories over both Army and Navy last fall.